Vortex

Amazon.com
Born in the Bronx to Puerto Rican parents, Eddie Palmieri has been acknowledged as one of Latin jazz's piano masters since the 1960s. His reputation is also high when it comes to compositional experimentation, taking Latin idioms much further than his colleagues. It's a stance that never detracts from danceability. Most of the pieces on Vortex stretch to around the 10-minute mark, allowing for a series of abstract introductions, Palmieri doubling on piano and synthesizer. "Displacement" is a prime example, with Brian Lynch and Conrad Herwig sending trumpet and trombone calls across Palmieri's misty carpet. A pulse grows slowly, curving upward into a full groove, highlighting the hyperactive bongos and crack congas of Paoli Meijas and Richie Flores. Former Jazz Messenger Donald Harrison completes the impressive horn frontline, while Oscar Partaya contributes bold bass lines, particularly during the open-spaced "Iriaida," dedicated to Palmieri's wife. Then, "Minuet in G" pulls off a Cuban danzon rewrite of Beethoven, and the set climaxes with "Whirlwind," a percussive showdown featuring Meijas on the African udu drum. --Martin Longley

Vortex,Eddie Palmieri,Rmm Records,Afro-Cuban Jazz,Latin,Latin Jazz,Latin Music,Tropical

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Average customer rating: I think I heard this once before! A total masterpiece My First Minimalist Piano An excellent minimalist piece Brilliant!

Solo Piano Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Glass, Philip | Composers | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Glass | Glass, Philip | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Avant Garde & Free Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Minimal Techno | Techno | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music $7.99 and Under | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Glass, Philip | ( G ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Opera & Vocal | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Classical Instrumental Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Opera & Vocal | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: Glassworks Glass: Violin concerto Philip Glass: Symphonies Nos. 2 & 3 Kronos Quartet Performs Philip Glass The Hours (Score) ASIN: B0000026Y4 Release Date: 1989-08-07

Tracks:

1. Metamorphosis: Metamorphosis One
2. Metamorphosis: Metamorphosis Two
3. Metamorphosis: Metamorphosis Three
4. Metamorphosis: Metamorphosis Four
5. Metamorphosis: Metamorphosis Five
6. Metamorphosis: Mad Rush
7. Metamorphosis: Wichita Sutra Vortex

Customer Reviews:

I think I heard this once before!.......2007-07-20

Metamorphosis One - Five is repetative to say the least; however, there are slight variations in each successive piece. As one listens it is intriguing to notice the sometimes subtle variations on a theme that occur. Each piece is more complex than the next. Well worth the listening. If you are a pianist, I recommend Solo Piano for use as warm up exercises for more complex pieces to be played afterward.

A total masterpiece.......2007-05-12

A piano lover shall love this neo-classical masterpiece by one of the best minimalist composer. To weather question our heart and mind or simply to relax this cd is probably one of the best means.

My First Minimalist Piano.......2007-04-05

I have never been a huge fan of solo music in general or piano music in particular; I respect talented musicians, but for the most part, piano music deoesn't really appeal to me. This CD, however, is completely different. I first heard one of the songs on an episode of Battlestar Galactica and fell instantly in love. Even though the music is 'minimalist' meaning that it is very repetetive and the musical lines are relatively simple (this isn't Bach or Beethoven or Mozart with several parts creating an impressively 'large-sounding' whole), every note is so precisely placed that it fits perfectly. In my opinion, the music is just as much about what isn't played as what is - all the notes that Glass plays hints at other notes that are not played.

Basically, I would have to say that minimalist piano is not for everyone - particularly people who don't like a lot of repetition. At the same time, I think that people who do not typically enjoy solo piano music should give it a chance, since minimimalist piano is not the same as the piano music we tend to hear. One of the things that I like about it is, like classical music, if you have it on in the background it is unobtrusive, but still present. I have found this music to be beautiful and relaxing and I hope that other people enjoy it as much as I have.

An excellent minimalist piece.......2007-01-09

An excellent representation of minimalism. At times the songs get a bit repetitive, though I realize thats the point of the genre, and metamorphosis 5 seems to be a rerecording of metamorphosis 1. Its a great song, but there really was no deviation or alteration of the song to warrant putting on the album twice other than making a full circle. Those two reasons are why I gave it four stars. The album is really top notch. Its amazing the emotion this guy can pull out of the piano. He really is a genius with his music.

Brilliant!.......2006-11-04

For those who love the sound of a piano. This album is as good as "In my time" from Yanni, although not all the songs are for relaxation. I recommend it very much!

Average customer rating: Best remix collection I've heard Amazingly Brilliant!!! Get lost in the Vortex What an awesome find! remixed to perfection

Vortex Collide Manufacturer: Noise Plus Music ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Alt Industrial | Industrial | Goth & Industrial | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music Electronica | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music Hard Rock | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Alternative Rock | Indie Music | Stores | Music Rock | Alternative Rock | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Some Kind of Strange Chasing the Ghost Zerospace Beneath The Skin The Damage ASIN: B0001Z52XY Release Date: 2004-04-20

Tracks:

1. Euphoria - Emirian Mix
2. Feed Me to the Lions
3. Slither Thing - Amish Rake Fight Mix
4. Razor Sharp - Dull Mix
5. Like You Want to Believe - Antistatic Mix
6. The Lunatics Have Taken Over the Asylum
7. Predator - Final Mix by Collide
8. Crushed - 5AM Heavenly Mix
9. Wing of Steel - Core Mix
10. Halo - Sensory Gate Aura Mix
11. Inside - Shoe Gazing Mix
12. Somewhere - Orchestral Mix
13. Frozen - Chill Mix

Tracks:

1. Haunted When the Minutes Drag
2. Tempted - Conjure One Mix
3. Crushed - Fragment Mix
4. Like You Want to Believe - Cylab Mix
5. Crushed - Out of Control Mix
6. Wings of Steel - The Sound Of Glass Mix
7. Inside - External Mix
8. Crushed - Now Forgotten Mix
9. Wings of Steel - hEADaCHE Mix
10. Like You Want to Believe - Bondango's Twisted Acid Mix
11. Crushed - Scored Mix
12. Wings of Steel - Astro Sensorium Mix
13. Euphoria - Tears Mix

Album Description

Remixers, DJs, and Bands from all over the world lend their passion and inspiration to further expand on the already diverse soumd of Collide. From chunky guitar versions, to slithering lounge stylings to delirium-esq versions that are sure to hit the dance floor. This CD also contains three new covers, including the very poinant "The Lunantics are taking over the Asylum" by Funboy 3.

Some very special guests including Charlie Clouser formally of NIN, Rhys Fulber of Conjure One/Delerium and Mike Fisher of Machines and Loving Grace/Amish Rake Fight, lend their talents to "VORTEX". COLLIDE performs an exotic hybrid of Darkwave, Cyber-Dance, and Electronic, with crossover appeal which will appeal to fans of Evanescence, Massive Attack, Curve, Dead Can Dance, Portishead, and Delirium.

Customer Reviews:

Best remix collection I've heard.......2007-05-18

Simply put, this collection of remixes, and a few artfully selected covers, is the highest quality collection of its kind I've heard.

Most remix collections seem to have a few good tracks among a bunch of tracks that aren't worth listening to more than once. This two-disc set is the exception to that rule; nearly every song included is tasty aural bliss.

I would have expected Collide's layered organic and electronic sound to be hard to do justice while taking in new directions for remixing, but each of these artists have succeeded, often spectacularly so. Only one track is difficult for me to enjoy: Somewhere/Orchestral Mix; I find it an interesting attempt but it's not for me. The rest range from very enjoyable to music I might never want to take out of my CD player.

Get this album for The Lunatics Have Taken Over the Asylum (see also the DVD Like the Hunted), and enjoy the rest of the sweet and sultry gems from Slither Thing/Amish Rake Fight Mix to the delightfully sad Crushed/Out of Control Mix, plus plenty more.

To Collide fans, even those skeptical of remixes, this is a must-own. To those not yet a fan of Collide, you might start with Some Kind of Strange or Chasing the Ghost and then pick this up - though I'm not sure it matters, and this would still make a great listen without any prior knowledge of Collide.

Amazingly Brilliant!!! .......2007-04-12

Collide must be one of the greatest bands ever to hit the gothic scene. The combination of Karin and Statik are explosive; indeed, Vortex is definitely their masterpiece of Remixes done right! As well as new songs that will demand your attention, highly note worthy!! Some of the best out there!


Listen to the samples on this site just so you can say "Yeah, I'm a smart consumer." If you like any combination of Collide, you're gonna end up buying Vortex, it is most certainly a treat for the ears and the imagination.

Get lost in the Vortex.......2006-10-10

I really liked this album, while some of the songs are remixed more than once they're still able to keep a semblance of uniqueness. Then there are the little gems added to the mix "The Lunatics Have Taken Over The Asylum" and "Feed Me to the Lions" are really fun songs that quickly moved their way into my top 10 lists.

These two disks hold a variety of moods from the frantic to the meditative, there is a remix for almost all occasions and then some. If you're just starting out with your Collide obsession this is a great album to showcase their diversity and complexity; and if you're deep into your Collide wall to wall shrine then this album is hard to beat and will surely earn a coveted spot on your shrine to Collide.

What an awesome find!.......2006-08-20

You will all think I'm crazy, but I was looking for new music one day at work, came across Collide because it was "similar" to other music I like, and bought it without even hearing it! I wasn't somewhere that I could listen to the samples, so I trusted other user reviews, and couldn't be more pleased. This CD has become a staple in my collection, and frankly, hasn't left my CD changer yet! My boyfriend even added it to his iPod. My personal favorite is "The Lunatics...", don't ask me why. I always play it on my way to the gym...and sometimes before work...perhaps it's something Freudian. :)

I absolutely adore Collide, and plan to try out their other CDs. It's amazing the feeling the music gives you. It's very ethereal, and makes you feel like you're somewhere else. Definitely a great buy, even if you're not into this type of music.

Others I would recommend in this genre are Claire Voyant (Time and the Maiden), Delerium (Karma), Hungry Lucy (To Kill a King), and Lamb (any of them, especially Lamb and Fear of Fours).

remixed to perfection.......2006-07-06

before picking up this two-disc package, i was not familiar with the works of Collide. i bought this item on a whim, and am very glad i did. the variety of style approach is refreshing, you really don't hear the same song twice, though there are a few mixes of a few songs. these are good cds to put in on a trip or chill at the house, and i've had the album for a few weeks now and am not tired of it. enjoy the haunting effects of a great band rearranged by great artistic minds.

Average customer rating: Still: Symphony Nº 1 Good, Good, Good African-American Composers In The Spotlight Great music, underplayed performance Bought it for the Ellington; play it now for the Still!

Still: Symphony No. 1; Ellington: Suite from "The River" Manufacturer: Chandos ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Ellington | Ellington, Edward Duke | ( E ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Still | Still, William Grant | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music Modern & 20th Century | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Detroit Symphony Orchestra | ( D ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Similar Items: Still/Dawson/Ellington: Symphony No. 2/Negro Folk Symphony/Harlem William Grant Still: Afro-American Symphony; In Memoriam; Africa (Symphonic Poem) Nielsen: Aladdin Suite; Pan and Syrinx; Saga Deam; Maskarade Overture; Helios Overture Works By William Grant Still Ahmad's Blues ASIN: B000000ARJ Release Date: 1993-12-30

Tracks:

1. Symphony No. 1 (Afro-American): I Moderato Assai
2. Symphony No. 1 (Afro-American): II Adagio
3. Symphony No. 1 (Afro-American): III Animato
4. Symphony No. 1 (Afro-American): IV Lento, con risoluzione
5. Suite From 'The River': 1 Spring
6. Suite From 'The River': 2 Meander
7. Suite From 'The River': 3 Giggling Rapids
8. Suite From 'The River': 4 Lake
9. Suite From 'The River': 5 Vortex
10. Suite From 'The River': 6 Riba
11. Suite From 'The River': 7 Village Virgins

Amazon.com

William Grant Still composed a large body of excellent music that deserves the widest possible circulation. He merged his mastery of the jazz vernacular with classical forms learned at Wilberforce and Oberlin. Even while studying later with an iconoclast like Edgar Varese, Still sought to extend the historical focus of the Harlem Renaissance into his compositions, injecting the "Afro-American" symphony especially with folk-inspired touches of impressionism and neo-Romanticism. The work seeks a broad sweep and bears resemblances to Gershwin and Ellington in the mix of pop and swing elements into the symphonic language. The coupling is a fitting one, in part because Ellington struggled for years to create a large-scale work that could indeed be considered rightfully "orchestral" outside his own big band's works. The Suite from the River is an ideal revelation, taking Ellington's sectionally orchestral thinking (where the orchestra was a conglomerate of different sections playing off each other) to levels that reach Still's well-schooled use of the symphony orchestra as a vehicle. Neeme Järvi does a fine job leading the Detroit Symphony Orchestra in rendering these two unlikely but deserving works. --Andrew Bartlett

Customer Reviews:

Still: Symphony Nº 1.......2005-10-17

This is a masterpiece of the black folclor in a wonderfull interpretation. When I heard for first time I felt me inside of the soul of the ancient black people. The composer and the interpretation knew in themselves the happiness and the sadness at same time from them

Good, Good, Good.......2005-06-20

Since these two composers must be considered in the same field as Beethoven and Brahms (it's strange to think of Ellington writing in that setting), I must rate the music itself only 4 stars because these two are not quite Big B (either one) when it comes to knowing the orchestra. I do like this music very much, and I give this performance 5 stars for the DSO's willingness to put it out at all: they have rectified a great dishonor held against both composers. However, while the playing is good, I can imagine more passion in these pieces, and I wonder why Bernstein never touched them, being somewhat of a jazzman himself.

Here's a musing: the CD box seems to indicate that the segments from The River were not arranged by Duke himself. I don't know why this would be, but if it's true then the music probably could have been twice as good, because if you've ever listened to any of Duke's big band music at all, you'll know that Duke was incapable of producing an arrangement with inappropriate part-writing. But this oddity aside, I enjoyed this disc fully and I heard some new sounds to boot. If you haven't heard this, get it. You will enjoy a solid performance of worthy music.

African-American Composers In The Spotlight.......2004-07-18

Two great African-American composers of the 20th century--William Grant Still (1895-1978) and the legendary "Sir" Duke Ellington (1899-1974)--have one work each spotlighted on this fine Chandos recording.

Still's "Afro-American" symphony--the Symphony No. 1--has the distinction of being perhaps the first symphony by an African-American ever to be performed by a major symphony orchestra (composer and conductor Howard Hanson led the work's world premiere in 1931 with the Rochester Philharmonic). It is a work that is very much a part of the composer's background, with its roots in jazz and the blues, and is every bit as American as the great works of Copland and Gershwin, though its symphonic structure is also very much along the lines of Brahms and Beethoven.

Duke Ellington, meanwhile, gets onto this recording via his 1970 ballet music for "The River", which was commissioned by Alvin Ailey's dance company. Though known as one of the premiere American jazz geniuses of all times, Ellington could also compose for symphonic orchestra (his total number of works is at least 2,000); and this work, which depicts the natural course of a river, is a wonderful and energetic piece.

Both Still's and Ellington's works are not all that well known, but are given first rate performances by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra under Neeme Jarvi. As they had done with the music of French composers under Paul Paray in the 1950s/early 1960s, and with 20th century music from composers like Copland and Richard Strauss under Antal Dorati in the late 70s/early 80s, the orchestra during Jarvi's tenure has been a strong advocate of African-American composers and their works, and this is a prime example of that. Well worth looking for and listening to.

Great music, underplayed performance.......2004-05-08

This is a good performance of a great work. One writer below describes the symphony as being in "the Gershwin style". Nothing could be further from the truth. A common source informs the work of Still & Gershwin, yet Still's purpose was to present a serious black perspective in a symphonic idiom, whereas Gershwin used the Blues as a technique to color and enliven his essentially American-Eurocentric view of a popular idiom. The genesis of the Scherzo of Still's symphony (which contains what is wrongly thought of as an "I Got Rhythm" quotation) is complex, fascinating, and full of coded messages. If you're truly interested in its meaning, and the difference in Gershwin and Still's treatment of the material, see Catherine Smith's "William Grant Still: A Study in Contradictions".

All that said, Still is an American original, and it is shameful and craven on the part of boards and producers that we have yet to hear more of his many orchestral works, or any of his 8 operas in stagings by major American companies. You can find tapes of rather poor performances of three of his operas, if you look hard. Come on MET, DG, NY Opera, BMG, Seattle Opera, Naxos, Chicago Opera, CPO, Boston Lyric Opera, Chandos, Cleveland Opera! Please spare us another Rigoletto and give us one, just one Still opera! We'll buy it! Till then, I'm even grateful for this.

Bought it for the Ellington; play it now for the Still!.......2003-07-20

When I bought this CD, it was for The River, an excellent minor classical piece by Duke Ellington. Once I heard the Grant Still symphony, I was hooked. This is great music, in the Gershwin style, but written contemporaneously. The recording is superb, Neemi Jarvi is excellent (as always), and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, often underrated, is in top form.

Average customer rating: Disappointing The Feel of New York The next stop once you've heard the originals Bernstein's New York, it's a wonderful town! Great CD BUT...

Leonard Bernstein's New York Leonard Bernstein , Dawn Upshaw , Judy Blazer , Mandy Patinkin , Audra McDonald , Donna Murphy , Richard Muenz , Eric Stern , and Orchestra Of St. Luke's Manufacturer: Nonesuch ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Bernstein | Bernstein, Leonard | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Ballets & Dances | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music McDonald, Audra | Divas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music 1990s | By Decade | Pop | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Classic Big Band | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music Contemporary Big Band | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music 1990-1999 | Decades | Compilations | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music Similar Items: How Glory Goes Leonard Bernstein's New York / Mandy Patinkin, Dawn Upshaw, Donna Murphy Experiment Sings Sondheim Oscar & Steve ASIN: B000005J40 Release Date: 1996-08-20

Tracks:

1. Lonely Town
2. Come Up To My Place
3. What A Waste
4. A Little Bit In Love
5. Fancy Free: Danzon Variation
6. Ain't Got No Tears Left
7. Ballet At The Village Vortex
8. Wrong Note Rag
9. Story Of My Life
10. Cab And Bedroom
11. One Hand, One Heart
12. Ya Got Me
13. A Quiet Girl
14. Balcony Scene (Tonight)
15. Lonely Town Pas De Deux
16. Somewhere
17. West Side Story: Ballet Sequence From West Side Story
18. Some Other Time
19. New York, New York (Finale, Act II)

Amazon.com

Leonard Bernstein's New York is a cornucopia of tongue-in-cheek wit, unabashed romanticism, big-city loneliness, and intellectual irony. His well-known orchestral brilliance is beautifully represented under the stellar conducting of Eric Stern, but his underappreciated talents as a songwriter are what shine, elevating this recording to magic. The cast of American theater's best includes Mandy Patinkin wonderfully indulging his comic side; Judy Blazer and Donna Murphy, the shiniest lights on Broadway, demonstrating their extensive range as singing actresses; Audra McDonald making the difficult sound easy; and Richard Muenz and Dawn Upshaw singing elegantly. Most unforgettably pleasing are the trios "Ya Got Me" and "What A Waste." A great tribute to Bernstein's theater works. --Barbara Eisner Bayer

Customer Reviews:

Disappointing.......2007-03-13

I agree that this is a great collection. But I have to wonder: Am I the only one who got a bum copy of the CD? The songs are all mixed up on my copy, as in, most of the tracks are mislabeled: "A Quiet Girl" is really "Tonight", The Balcony Scene, printed as "Tonight" is really "Somewhere". The list goes on.

So, who do I kvetch to? I'd like a copy that isn't a complete mishmash.

The Feel of New York.......2007-01-09

Having spent most of my working years in NYC, I felt this CD brought the city to me. Bernstein has allways been a favorite.

The next stop once you've heard the originals.......2007-01-09

As a tribute to Bernstein on Broadway, this CD is hard to beat. All the singers are stars but of a generation, ro two, beyond the originals. Naturally here's been a change of style, and these renditions are more knowing, sophisticated, and at times ironic than the originals. On their own, Donna Murphy, Dawn Upshaw, and Mandy Patinkin, among others, are masters of their craft, but I hope anyone who loves LB will also seek out the original cast albums for all of his musicals, or the clesest one can get (On the Town was remade in the Fifties). Those recordings cast a unique spel, but the next stop is this marvelous CD.

Bernstein's New York, it's a wonderful town!.......2002-01-15

And speaking of "Wonderful Town," it's so nice to hear music from this least appreciated of Bernstein's musicals. "What a Waste," "A Quiet Girl" and Audra McDonald's enchanting "A Little Bit in Love" have never sounded better. Donna Murphy burns the house down with the torchy "Ain't Got No Tears Left," and has fun with Patinkin and Blazer on the raucous "Ya Got Me." "One Hand, One Heart" sung by Dawn Upshaw and Richard Muenz is movingly rendered, as is Patinkin's wonderful delivery of an all-time Bernstein favorite, "Some Other Time." My only comlaint? Where is "I Can Cook Too?" A terrific recording.

Great CD BUT..........2000-07-02

I loved this CD, but there was some things that kept it fromgetting four stars. First Mandy Patkin, I loved him in Sunday in The Park With George, also I have a CD of him singing yiddish songs all good, but in this CD I just don't like him. Like in the song "Come Up To My Place" I didn't like his voice and I never could quite see him as the character for that song. Also I would have liked to see (well actually "hear") some more of the dance numbers or overtures, I realize the main point of the CD was all the singers they put together, but the real highlight of the CD for me was the sections from Fancy Free, and Ballet At The Village Vortex from Wonderful Town. Also I liked "One Hand One Heart" a lot. Overall I would get this CD if you like Bernstein or any of these musicals, it is good listen, just not outstanding.

Average customer rating: Wonderful Town is a wonderful show Light and lively musical comedy a must-have recording for REAL Broadway fans Leonard Bart-stein? Listen for yourself.... Quality over quantity

Wonderful Town (Original 1953 Broadway Cast) Leonard Bernstein , Betty Comden , and Adolph Green Manufacturer: Decca U.S. ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Bernstein | Bernstein, Leonard | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music The Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music Pop | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Soundtracks | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Classical | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music All Blowout Music | Blowout Music | Stores | Music More Titles at Least 25% Off | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: On the Town Wonderful Town (2003 Broadway Revival Cast) Bernstein - Wonderful Town / Audra McDonald, Kim Criswell, Thomas Hampson, Wayne Marshall, Simon Rattle, Berlin Philharmonic Fiorello! (1959 Original Broadway Cast) Redhead (1959 Original Broadway Cast) ASIN: B00005O6KS Release Date: 2001-09-25

Tracks:

1. Christopher Street
2. Ohio
3. One Hundred Easy Ways
4. What a Waste
5. A Little Bit in Love
6. Pass the Football
7. Conversation Piece
8. A Quiet Girl
9. Conga!
10. My Darlin' Eileen
11. Swing!
12. It's Love
13. Ballet at the Village Vortex
14. Wrong Note Rag
15. Opening (from the original Decca recording of "On the Town")
16. Carried Away (from "On the Town")
17. Lonely Town (from "On the Town")
18. I Can Cook Too (from "On the Town")
19. Lucky to Be Me (from "On the Town")
20. Ya Got Me (from "On the Town")

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful Town is a wonderful show.......2004-10-25

This is a terrific show. It has a famous composer, great tunes and a good, upbeat story. Why it has so thoroughly faded from memory is a question that puzzles me greatly.

The orchestrations are attributed to another individual, but Bernstein must have taken some substantial role in their creation, for large parts of "Wonderful Town" resemble only one other musical, "West Side Story."

Rosalind Russell is the star here, and rightly so. She sings--or rather croaks--her material very well, indeed. Only in "Swing" is she overmatched by the musical requirements and even then she fights them to a draw.

Edith Adams is very good, too, as Eileen. I think of her as Edie Adams, a sixties icon, wife of comedian Ernie Kovacs, mayhem-minded member of the Nairobi Trio and super-sexy pitchwoman for White Owl Cigars. I had no idea that she had also starred on Broadway. It was a pleasant surprise to find her here.

The men in the lead parts sing in that typical Broadway growl: perfect diction and lousy tone. They are endearingly awful. And I mean that in the best possible sense.

Five stars, no doubt about it!

Light and lively musical comedy .......2004-08-07

The first cast album of WONDERFUL TOWN sounds even better than ever in Decca's latest remastering. The sound is still somewhat flat (as are all Decca albums from the 40s/50s) but the Decca engineers have worked wonders on the 50 year old tapes making them sound as good as possible. Rosalind Russell was a perfect choice to play the acerbic Ruth. She doesn't have much of a singing voice but the songs were tailored to her limited range and she makes the character come alive. Edith Adams sounds properly winsome as her sister Eileen. In the supporing roles, Jordan Bentley comes off best as Wreck, but George Gaynes makes for a ponderous, somehwat stuffy Bob Baker.

In terms of album production, Decca eliminated the Overture and some of the dance music, and re-arranged "Christopher Street" to eliminate the spoken vignettes. Otherwise the score is presented in a faithful aural re-creation. The booklet offers a detailed synopsis to guide you through the score.

The bonus tracks are six songs from ON THE TOWN originally recorded when that show was playing on Broadway. This is NOT the definitive recording of ON THE TOWN. For that you need the 1960 album avaialble on Sony. But, the excerpts heard here provide an enjoyable bonus.

a must-have recording for REAL Broadway fans.......2002-12-26

This marvellous new re-issue of WONDERFUL TOWN is a must-have for Broadway buffs. In fact, this is really two albums in one, as it also contains the rare 1945 studio recording of ON THE TOWN as a bonus!

The story is based on the play "My Sister Eileen", written by Joseph Fields and Jerome Chodorov; as well as the stories written by Ruth McKenney. The play was later turned into a successful Columbia film starring Rosalind Russell (as Ruth Sherwood) and Janet Blair as Eileen. Several years later Columbia released a musical version (following the success of WONDERFUL TOWN) which starred Janet Leigh and Betty Garrett.

WONDERFUL TOWN originally starred Rosalind Russell (repeating her film role) as Ruth and Edith 'Edie' Adams as Eileen. The cast also included George Gaynes (GIGI, 'Punky Brewster') as the romantic male lead.

The score by Betty Comden and the late Adolph Green is gorgeous, and features the comical "100 Easy Ways", the lilting "A Little Bit in Love" and the showstopping "Conga!" and "Wrong-Note Rag".

No Broadway-recording collection is complete without the original cast of this landmark musical.

This re-issue from the superb Decca Broadway range also includes the rare 1945 set of ON THE TOWN, which featured original cast-members Betty Comden, Adolph Green and Nancy Walker singing their songs from the show, with Mary Martin singing "Lonely Town" and "Lucky to Be Me".

Highly-recommended.

Leonard Bart-stein? Listen for yourself...........2002-09-23

Leonard Bernstein never erred on the side of subtlety, and this original-cast album contains two of his most enjoyable essays in musical near-mayhem: "Christopher Street" and "The Wrong Note Rag." The former is vastly like the theme music to "The Simpsons," and the listener can decide for himself how much of a coincidence this is or isn't. "The Wrong Note Rag" uses the tritone of the scale and a varied meter to make life difficult for the singers and anyone trying to count along. Unlike so many send-ups of the 1920s, this song ingenioulsy captures the musical and lyrical feel of novelty numbers like 1924's "Fascinating Rhythm"--or, better yet, the slightly later "Crazy Rhythm." A parody of the 1920s that shows any sense of the 1920s is a rare item, indeed. "Wonderful Town" is an interesting, enjoyable, and valuable historical piece, and I can only imagine what later performers did with it. I don't want to know.

Quality over quantity.......2002-05-19

Yes, the original 1953 cast recording of "Wonderful Town" may not be the most complete cast recording of the hit musical BUT I would wholeheartedly reccommend this CD over any other version. Why? Because of its original cast members and its original orchestrations! Rosalind Russell is peerless as Ruth Sherwood (I consider her version of "One Hundred Easy Ways" one of the funniest songs in musical theatre history) and Edie Adams shines through radiantly. Listen to her sing "A Little Bit In Love" to understand what I'm talking about. Also, the original orchestrations gtive this CD more vibrance than any of the later incarnations INCLUDING the 1999 studio recording, which to me sounds too mechanical and the British orchestrator doesn't seem to get the rhythms right. The original cast recording is A MUST for the true theatre fan, abridged score or not

Average customer rating: Wonderful Town (2003) Good Piece Wonderful wonderful town!! Really Good, But... THIS IS THE BEST!

Wonderful Town (2003 Broadway Revival Cast) Leonard Bernstein , Betty Comden , Donna Murphy , Jennifer Westfeldt , and Adolph Green Manufacturer: Drg ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Bernstein | Bernstein, Leonard | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Similar Items: Wonderful Town (Original 1953 Broadway Cast) Wonderful Town: Vocal Score Bernstein - Wonderful Town / Audra McDonald, Kim Criswell, Thomas Hampson, Wayne Marshall, Simon Rattle, Berlin Philharmonic Sweet Charity (2005 Broadway Revival Cast) Wonderful Town (2004 Broadway Revival Cast with Brooke Shields) ASIN: B0001BFDIW Release Date: 2004-03-09

Tracks:

1. Overture
2. Christopher Street
3. Ohio
4. Conquering New York
5. One Hundred Easy Ways
6. What A Waste
7. Little Bit Of Love, A
8. Pass The Football
9. Conversation Piece
10. Quiet Girl, A
11. Conga!
12. My Darlin' Eileen
13. Swing!
14. Ohio (Reprise)

Amazon.com

Leonard Bernstein, Betty Comden and Adolph Green's 1953 collaboration in Wonderful Town doesn't lack for recordings, including two good studio casts from 1998 and 1999. Yet the uncommonly funny show hadn't received a proper Broadway revival until this 2003 production. As Ruth Sherwood, a role created by Rosalind Russell, Donna Murphy gives a glorious five-star star performance, and nowhere is it more obvious than on "Conga!" and "Swing," the latter a delirious spoof of 1950s Greenwich Village hipsterisms. As Eileen Sherwood, Jennifer Westfeldt doesn't have the crystalline pipes of Audra McDonald (from the 1999 album) but she gives a warm performance that comes across well on CD. The rest of the cast is studded with pros who take obvious delight in the show, and music director Rob Fisher polishes Bernstein's score to a gleam. Truly, Broadway doesn't get much better than this. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful Town (2003).......2007-02-21

Frankly, I got this album for one song..."A Hundred Ways to Lose a Man", which I heard on the Braodway station of our digital cable network. I was extremely entertained by the song and loved the style portrayed in this album's particular rendition of it. I got it in order to perform the song myself for a benefit performance. I am very pleased to have it in my collection. As far as the rest of the album is concerned...one has to be "in the mood". It can be a bit annoying at times. Not my favorite Leonard Bernstein...doesn't compare to West Side Story...rather fluffy in comparison and silly, but that's what was intended.

Good Piece.......2006-12-16

This show is nice, very broadway. The music is nice, lyrics fun, and whole show a nice piece. It isn't something I would listen to over and over which is why it's only getting three stars, but it isn't something that I won't play from time to time. Of the two recordings I have (this one and the 2004 revival) there are MINISCULE differences, but I would say this is the better of the two. I like Donna Murphy's character over Brooke Shields. Good CD for collectors and new broadway listners alike. Fav Song: "Conga"

Wonderful wonderful town!!.......2005-05-19

This is an excellent piece of work. Delightful. Charming. Splendid. Funny. Enjoyable. There are so many songs that stand out on this soundtrack, paticularly "one hundred easy ways." Evey time I hear I just can't help but break out in laughter. Excellent soundtrack; a must purchase!!

Really Good, But..........2005-02-01

This may be the prime example of how a live performance transcends any recorded experience. I have read all the rave reviews of Donna Murphy's performance and trust people's judgment: she must have been wonderful in person. In this recording, however, she struggles through four or five different accents, settling somewhere between a voice from Missippi by way of New York.It seems less a performance than a gimmick.

As a kid I heard my parents play the Rosalind Russell version of this show a hundred times and I guess she is imprinted in my mind as Ruth Sherwood.

The orchestrations here sound magnificent and there are a few tracks added which round out the experience.

THIS IS THE BEST!.......2004-12-16

Of ALL the musicals I've seen on broadway, I love this one the most! Donna Murphy was amazing, and the rest of the cast was wonderful, too! I think this soundtrack is better than the original version - a must have.

Average customer rating: LatinJazz MAMERTO Overly Ambitious A powerfull record full of great music

Vortex Eddie Palmieri Manufacturer: Rmm Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Cuba | Caribbean & Cuba | International | Styles | Music General | Latin Music | Styles | Music General | Jazz | Styles | Music Latin Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music Similar Items: Simpatico ASIN: B00000126Z Release Date: 1996-09-24

Tracks:

1. Dona Tere
2. Displacement
3. The Prez
4. Iriaida
5. Minuet In G
6. Eddie's Riff
7. Vanilla Extract
8. Whirlwind

Amazon.com

Born in the Bronx to Puerto Rican parents, Eddie Palmieri has been acknowledged as one of Latin jazz's piano masters since the 1960s. His reputation is also high when it comes to compositional experimentation, taking Latin idioms much further than his colleagues. It's a stance that never detracts from danceability. Most of the pieces on Vortex stretch to around the 10-minute mark, allowing for a series of abstract introductions, Palmieri doubling on piano and synthesizer. "Displacement" is a prime example, with Brian Lynch and Conrad Herwig sending trumpet and trombone calls across Palmieri's misty carpet. A pulse grows slowly, curving upward into a full groove, highlighting the hyperactive bongos and crack congas of Paoli Meijas and Richie Flores. Former Jazz Messenger Donald Harrison completes the impressive horn frontline, while Oscar Partaya contributes bold bass lines, particularly during the open-spaced "Iriaida," dedicated to Palmieri's wife. Then, "Minuet in G" pulls off a Cuban danzon rewrite of Beethoven, and the set climaxes with "Whirlwind," a percussive showdown featuring Meijas on the African udu drum. --Martin Longley

Customer Reviews:

LatinJazz MAMERTO.......2006-06-28

Uno de los peores Albumes de Palmieri, como dijo en alguna entrevista alguna vez..."hay que comer... hay que comer" refiriendoce a un trabajo realizado con la India (de baja calidad igual al aqui citado)
Hay que comer... hay que comer

Overly Ambitious.......2000-09-13

There are great moments here but, on the whole, this does not deserve (or call for) repeated listenings.

A powerfull record full of great music.......1999-08-01

If you like salsa jazz you have to buy this album. I can say that it's so great that sometimes it's power makes me cry. My favorite track is Doña Tere, but I also enjoy listening the song for Eddie's wife. I would love to have a husband who writes something as beautiful inspired in myself. This song is a great way to say I love you.

Average customer rating: Coroner's Best Solid album

Mental Vortex Coroner Manufacturer: Noise Int'l ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Rock | Styles | Music Progressive Metal | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music Thrash & Speed Metal | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music Rock | Imports | Stores | Music Similar Items: R.I.P. No More Color Punishment for Decadence ASIN: B000008EK6 Release Date: 1991-08-13

Tracks:

1. Devine Step (Conspectu Mortis)
2. Son of Lilith
3. Semtex Revolution
4. Sirens
5. Metamorphosis
6. Pale Sister
7. About Life
8. I Want You (She's So Heavy)

Customer Reviews:

Coroner's Best.......2003-12-08

I have all of Coroner's CD's and they really hit the mark with this one (their others are OK, but not nearly this good). If you haven't heard Coroner it's kinda' hard to describe their sound. Lots of rhythm changes, catchy rhythm hooks and extremely tight playing. They're one of those bands whose sound and style really stands out from other thrash bands. This particular CD is one that I still play regularly 12 years after I bought it. It's one of the tightest, catchiest thrash albums ever made. No hint of monotonous death metal here. Just virtuistic playing and great thrash classics. Tommy Baron is a very skilled guitarist who plays incredibly tight rhythm riffs and adds a tasty solo here and there. Semtex Revolution is one of the best thrash songs ever written. This is a "must have" for thrash aficionados.

Solid album.......2003-11-27

Clocking in at almost 48 minutes, Mental Vortex--the fourth full-length album from Coroner--is a good piece of work. It was released in 1991 and contains eight tracks. The material is in a metal musical direction. Overall, the songwriting is solid, the musicianship is proficient, and the sound quality is impressive. Ron Royce does well with the vocal delivery. Tommy T. Baron is a remarkably accomplished guitar player; he is not only an inventive rhythm guitarist but also a skillful soloist. He provides some cool guitar riffs on "Son of Lilith" and "Metamorphosis." "Semtex Revolution" features a nice guitar solo from him. When it comes to the drums, Marquis Marky does a skilled job, too. I like the shifting tempos of the songs throughout. Even though I find all of the tracks to be worthy, my favorite ones are "Divine Step (Conspectu Mortis)," "Son of Lilith," "Semtex Revolution," and "Metamorphosis." The band performs a cover version of the Beatles' tune "I Want You (She's So Heavy)." The CD booklet includes the song lyrics. There is also an illustration of a saw blade on the backcover of the CD booklet. The back of the CD jewel case displays an individual black-and-white photo of each member of the group. Mental Vortex is a gratifying disc from Coroner.

Average customer rating: Solid CD

Time Pieces Manufacturer: Klavier ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Holst | Holst, Gustav | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Walker | Walker, George | ( W ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Marches | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Marches | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music Classical | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Symphonic Excursions Dream Catchers Escapades Sojourns Music of Joseph Schwantner ASIN: B00005YAYA Release Date: 2001-11-06

Tracks:

1. McTee: Time Piece
2. McCarthy: Chamber Symphony
3. Patterson: Stomp Igor
4. Wilson: Vortex
5. Walker: Canvas
6. Holst: First Suite in E-flat

Customer Reviews:

Solid CD.......2002-04-11

Timepieces is a solid new recording in the outstanding Klavier Wind Recording Project. While the performance is fine and the sound clear, the choice of music leans at times toward esoteric, minor-sounding pieces. Only Holst's First Suite has a grand sweep and impact. With so many fine versions of the Holst available, this one fails to distinguish itself. The other pieces are an interesting mix, the most successful of which being "Stomp Igor." "Vortex" is one of Dana Wilson's less interesting works for winds, and the remainder of the works are notable more for being "modern" than being interesting to listen to.

A decent album, though not as rewarding as other recent discs in this series.

Average customer rating: Made my day Very Quirky, Very Blues, Very Cool Superb Guitarist--Should Stick to That a 6 star guitar cd Chicken Picken Blues Musician

Mojo Blues Will Ray Manufacturer: Pharaoh Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Blues | Styles | Music Electric Blues Guitar | Blues | Styles | Music General | Jazz | Styles | Music Blues Rock | Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Blues Rock | Rock | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Telewacker Two-Lane Blacktop Essential Listening 1 The Hellecasters Live...Raw...in Germany Invisible Birds ASIN: B00005RS9A Release Date: 2002-01-22

Tracks:

1. Wait a Minute
2. Santa Cruizin'
3. Bad, Bad Day
4. I Hate My Day Job
5. Oh Me, Oh My
6. Shenandoah
7. Sister Theresa
8. 219 Orange Avenue
9. Holy Smokes
10. Trouble
11. Sparks

Album Description

Back in the early days Will was influenced by blues guitarists such as Danny Kalb of the Blues Project, Michael Bloomfield, B.B. King, Eric Clapton, Dickie Betts and Duane Allman among others. In recording this CD Will has returned to his roots and wears his influences proudly on his sleeve. Special guests include Jerry Donahue, Steve Duncan, Ted Greene, John Jorgenson, Juke Logan and more!

Customer Reviews:

Made my day.......2006-03-13

Didn't know the man from Adam, liked his guitar from an ad in a Music catalogue. Tell ya what, if you like Stevie Ray, you'll love this guy. Blues at it's best, if you like the old style storytellin'. A master at his axeworks too. I picked up an earlier album, more one the country side of things, fine by me though. Just keep it in mind if you're a blueshound. No problem as you can preview tracks on Amazon. Damn, the man makes me smile. Even my 19 son, Guitar playing Metal freak made a copy of this for his collection. No disappointments here.

Very Quirky, Very Blues, Very Cool.......2004-12-10

This is an interesting album. Either you get it or you don't. Some of the other people reviewing this CD obviously don't get what Will Ray is all about. They think his solo stuff should be more "Hellecaster-ish". I disagree. When I buy someone's solo album, I want to see another side of that person, not the same old stuff.

I've had the pleasure of seeing Will Ray perform live with the Hellecasters as well as at a G&L guitar clinic last year. His playing is downright scarey. You cannot figure out how he does some of the things he does, you just know that it sounds good.

You know what I like best about Will Ray playing the blues? It's not about sounding like all the other blues clones out there. And you know who I mean. He cannot sound like anyone else. It's impossible. The guy plays with left hand slides, he plays with right hand slides, he uses B-Benders, toys, kitchen appliances etc. He's one of the most creative dudes out there in guitarland. And he's "out there". But it all makes perfect musical sense.

Mojo Blues is cool because Ray takes a simple idiom like the blues and expounds on it, stretching it, bending it until it's played on his own terms. That's what BB King, Mike Bloomfield and Eric Clapton all did. It's a more personalized blues if you will. If you want to hear the same old SRV clones, this ain't the guy for you.

His version of Shennendoah will slay you. Roy Buchanan would have a hard time topping it. What's intriguing about this CD is that I always pictured Ray as simply a country player. After I bought this CD, he went up a couple of notches in my book. I also bought the backing tracks of this CD off their website and have to tell you that it's the best backing tracks CD I ever played along with, period. Shear fun.

This CD has changed the way I categorize music. Danny Gatton did the same thing for me. I only hope Mr. Ray gets together with the other Hellecasters soon and they can give us another CD soon. We need more "real" music out here.

Superb Guitarist--Should Stick to That.......2003-07-22

Like most aspiring tele-twangers, I'm amazed by the Hellecasters and I was anxious to hear one of them on his own in a less frenetic and overwhelming milieu. The 'Casters together have so much going on that, great as it is, it's almost too much to absorb. Unfortunately, Will Ray's solo effort doesn't quite measure up for me. The guitar work is impressive, but Ray's compositions are weak, hackneyed, and downright feeble efforts in some cases, particularly "Bad Bad Day" and "I Hate My Day Job." Songs like these are reconstituted redneck themes that singers like Ronnie Milsap, Johnny Paycheck and Dolly Parton (to name a few) have covered ad nauseum. In other cases, the performance elevates the weak material. "Holy Smokes" is a good example--the song just a drooling rumination about a babe walking into a bar, but the collaboration with chord theorist extraordinaire Ted Greene is entirely special. Another high point for me is the solo treatment of "Shenandoah," a tired old ditty to be sure, but eloquently interpreted through some nice tele-technique (the rock intro seems a little out of place to me, but that could be argued). Some of the other country blues, such as "Wait a Minute" and Santa-Cruzin'" are innocuous enough as songs to let the guitar shine. I think the answer here is that Will Ray should make another album concentrating on a dozen or so of his favorite compositions by other people. His instrumental mastery is unquestioned and he even demonstrates some artistry (not all shredders are capable of that), but the songs really shorten my attention span. Too bad.

a 6 star guitar cd.......2003-02-10

This deserves 6 stars as it shows that another level of guitar playing is possible. Will Ray may be the first to have reached this level although others may lay claim to the throne. I was fortunate to see the HELLECASTERS live in OZ 2 years ago and this guy can do it live as well.He left me with goose bumps for the full 90 minute concert. No one plays better or more original blues than Will Ray. He also plays so many other styles that he incorporates seemlessly into HIS blues to turn the genre on it's ear.Can't wait for his next release.
p.s it must be said that the singing is not his strongest point and the songs are not all of the highest quality. BUT LISTEN TO THAT GUITAR

Chicken Picken Blues Musician.......2002-10-19

This guy is awesome as usual. A guitarist's guitarist.

Jazz Music:

1. X-Magneto
2. Y Seguimos con Duranguense
3. Y Seguimos con Duranguense [Enhanced]
4. 100% Autoridad Duranguense
5. 15 Exitos
6. 17 Exitos [Import]
7. 20 Ma Quinazos
8. 20 Éxitos Originales [Original recording remastered]
9. 30 Recuerdos
10. 35th Anniversary

Jazz Music

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